I'm done with my job. What can I do from home?

[Halftime Hope]

I have decent office skills, but no advanced software skills (no graphic design or database skills, for example.)  I'm good with people, honest, dependable and motivated to work diligently. I problem-solve really well and like seniors, but I'm so demoralized at the moment that I'm have a hard time thinking of anything I can do from home.  (That's the safest place for my family, but I'd also be happy to work a job without much in-person people contact, or maybe with just a few people.)

Re current job:  I'm just done with the gaslighting and condescension.   Also, my boss is refusing to take care of his people, he is putting all of us at risk by having a full office when we could all work from home.  My county and state are at record high hospitalizations. 

I need to replace my current income for close to 5 years. 

Background:  I'm a great researcher, homeschooled for 17 years.  I have been in this jack-of-all-trades, Girl Friday office job for almost 5 years.  I understand medicine and science and I have an ancient degree in chemistry.  I do not have a pretty face for people-facing jobs like sales; I'm a plain jane.  But I have a kind smile and a big heart. 

Any ideas?  Thank you, I'm grateful for your help. 

 

 

 

[mommyoffive]

Sounds like you could do a lot of office jobs at home. Have you looked on indeed?

Blog writing 

Contact tracing

Tutoring 

Is there anything legal to make your boss let you work from home?  I don't know what is going on with that.

[catz]

I know several homeschool moms who have taught English online to kids in Asia. There are a few companies that do this, I have one friend who works for this one and has for years 

https://www.vipkid.com/teach

Edited July 9, 2020 by FuzzyCatz

[EmilyGF]

2 hours ago, FuzzyCatz said:

I know several homeschool moms who have taught English online to kids in Asia. There are a few companies that do this, I have one friend who works for this one and has for years 

https://www.vipkid.com/teach

I asked about this on the board a few weeks ago and was told this is a really bad time to start doing this as there are waaaaay too many teachers so the pay and hours are both low. I suggest asking about this on the chat board before jumping in.

[Selkie]

3 hours ago, Halftime Hope said:

Background:  I'm a great researcher, homeschooled for 17 years.  I have been in this jack-of-all-trades, Girl Friday office job for almost 5 years.  I understand medicine and science and I have an ancient degree in chemistry.  I do not have a pretty face for people-facing jobs like sales; I'm a plain jane.  But I have a kind smile and a big heart. 

Wait, who says you need a pretty face to be in sales?

I've been a business owner for 25+ years and have dealt with many salespeople over the years. The best, most successful ones have not been pretty or handsome. What they have been is hardworking, efficient, and helpful.

Don't let your looks (or how you perceive your looks) stop you from pursuing that type of job if it is something that interests you!

[JustEm]

have you heard of Outschool?If you think you could teach well and have an engaging/needed topic look into it.  I have used it but I know quality content and teachers do well earning money on this platform

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

have you heard of Outschool?If you think you could teach well and have an engaging/needed topic look into it.  I have used it but I know quality content and teachers do well earning money on this platform

Oh great idea use your chemistry background.   Tons of parents are going to be looking for Tutors,  classes, and supplements to their homeschool.   I just got an email that outschool is starting some new program for kids this year.   Sort if like a virtual school.  

[lmrich]

People around here are doing "micro schools" a small group of students gather in someone's home and hire a teacher to oversee that virtual learning gets done correctly. I have no idea how you can network to find out about this, but it might be worth your effort to investigate. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Seasider too said:

If you don’t mind going back to school for a bit, @Quill could tell you about the paralegal course she’s taking. I imagine that’s lots of research and writing. 

It also sounds like you’ve got some contact tracer skills. 😁

I look forward to seeing other suggestions.

Yes, the paralegal course is really interesting for the logic-driven person who likes reading and writing. I’m also wondering if I will be able to get work that is at least partially from home. There is such a thing as 100% remote-work paralegal, and there is such a thing as freelance or per-job paralegal independent contracting, but I seriously doubt I will be able to go directly into that without the intermediate step of working in a physical office. I mull that issue around in my brain regularly because I’m not keen to be exposed to COVID by way of working in an office 40+ hours a week. The region of the country where I am may help me with this, though, particularly if I seek work in Central MD/outside DC. 

[Melissa B]

Contact Tracers are really needed right now. It is paying well and you could likely be working next week.

 

[Katy]

Microsoft announced a job training opportunity, they were going to offer it for free, I think for 25 million people.  They prefer to help those with job displacement due to Covid, especially people of color.  It's in partnership with LinkedIn and some other company, I don't remember.  It was in the news on Tuesday I think.  If you're at all interested in quick training for higher paying remote jobs, google it.  I'm sure you can find the information.

[mommyoffive]

2 hours ago, Melissa B said:

Contact Tracers are really needed right now. It is paying well and you could likely be working next week.

 

Are you doing this ?   I started taking the coursea class, but then got freaked about the safety of doing it because of threats. 

[PeachyDoodle]

Medical coding? My mom just retired from a hospital system; she oversaw all their coders. They all work from home and are only required to come in for meetings maybe once or twice a year. Great flexibility, benefits and pay. Not sure about starting salary and I'm sure it depends on the exact position and location but many of her employees were making in the $25-$35/hr range. You will need certification so there is an upfront cost but it will pay for itself quickly. If you already have a science background you'll have a leg up.

[Melissa B]

10 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Are you doing this ?   I started taking the coursea class, but then got freaked about the safety of doing it because of threats. 

I am working as a temporary contact tracer while on furlough. But I am working at the local health department and not from home. However, many counties/ states are hiring the position as work-from-home. Sorry, I'm not sure what you are referring to when you ask about safety and threats.

[mommyoffive]

3 hours ago, Melissa B said:

I am working as a temporary contact tracer while on furlough. But I am working at the local health department and not from home. However, many counties/ states are hiring the position as work-from-home. Sorry, I'm not sure what you are referring to when you ask about safety and threats.

I had read about people from the health department being threatened because people think this violates their rights or privacy.   Just wondering if that it is a big risk.   Did you take a course for this. 

[J-rap]

18 hours ago, Selkie said:

Wait, who says you need a pretty face to be in sales?

I've been a business owner for 25+ years and have dealt with many salespeople over the years. The best, most successful ones have not been pretty or handsome. What they have been is hardworking, efficient, and helpful.

Don't let your looks (or how you perceive your looks) stop you from pursuing that type of job if it is something that interests you!

I was going to say something similar:  I'd take a kind smile and a big heart over a handsome face any day!

[Katy]

There is plenty of money in pharmaceutical sales.

[katilac]

2 hours ago, Katy said:

There is plenty of money in pharmaceutical sales.

That's quite a lot of exposure to people in healthcare settings, though. 

[PrincessMommy]

3 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

I had read about people from the health department being threatened because people think this violates their rights or privacy.   Just wondering if that it is a big risk.   Did you take a course for this. 

I would like to know too.   

[Melissa B]

7 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

I had read about people from the health department being threatened because people think this violates their rights or privacy.   Just wondering if that it is a big risk.   Did you take a course for this. 

I haven't heard this. But, you are on the phone, so I'm not sure what kind of threat could be made? The person you contact on the phone can always refuse or hang up. Then the name gets passed along the line for someone with more authority to decide whether or not to pursue the matter. I've only had one person refuse information since I began. I passed the information along and have no idea how that was resolved.

There was an online training course after I was hired. It was specific to my state, so I assume each state has a similar course. It was maybe four hours.

[Ausmumof3]

On 7/10/2020 at 6:08 AM, Selkie said:

Wait, who says you need a pretty face to be in sales?

I've been a business owner for 25+ years and have dealt with many salespeople over the years. The best, most successful ones have not been pretty or handsome. What they have been is hardworking, efficient, and helpful.

Don't let your looks (or how you perceive your looks) stop you from pursuing that type of job if it is something that interests you!

Yes.  We had a salesperson once.  He was an old guy wearing a brown suit and he had dodgy teeth.  I was so sure he’s sell nothing and yet he sold heaps.  I think because he seemed more trustworthy than someone young and glammed up.  

[Ausmumof3]

Doesn’t pay crazy high but transcription typing and captioning?

[frogger]

4 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Yes.  We had a salesperson once.  He was an old guy wearing a brown suit and he had dodgy teeth.  I was so sure he’s sell nothing and yet he sold heaps.  I think because he seemed more trustworthy than someone young and glammed up.  

 

This reminds me of some older t.v. show. It seems like the salespeople always had a brown or plaid suit.

[Ausmumof3]

1 minute ago, frogger said:

 

This reminds me of some older t.v. show. It seems like the salespeople always had a brown or plaid suit.

Lol yes.  He definitely looks like a salesperson from a former decade!  However apparently many of our target market must have been from the same decade!

[katilac]

2 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Doesn’t pay crazy high but transcription typing and captioning?

Captioning pays crazy low, if you're talking about Rev style companies, and is very irregular. Could be an extra but not something I would count on as even a part of my bill paying money. 

[Ausmumof3]

3 minutes ago, katilac said:

Captioning pays crazy low, if you're talking about Rev style companies, and is very irregular. Could be an extra but not something I would count on as even a part of my bill paying money. 

Lol I actually don’t know what I’m talking about because I don’t do it myself but I know someone who does it as part of transcription typing and proofreading.  I think the person is pretty fast and also not needing to make tonnes of money just a supplement to a reasonable income and something to do.  Person seems to think it’s ok.

the trick is getting into an area where English language skills are important so it can easily be offshored.

Edited July 10, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Halftime Hope]

Thanks, all!  I've been super busy.  I will take time to really look at your suggestions in the next few days. 

Sales is not, not, not my thing, but some of the other ideas appeal! :-)